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'Lucozade cheaper than Powerade'

How ‘Lucozade cheaper than Powerade’ stood out from the crowd and got us thinking.

Yep that was the name used on a job application we received through Facebook recently. It made us sit up in our chairs, have a giggle and then want to know more about them.

Their use of words really made an impression on us.

It was a timely reminder of how important good communication is, to cut through the noise.

When it comes to helping clients with their documents for restructure proposals and disciplinary letters (just to name a few) we start from a template, but this is only the starting point. We put the effort into understanding the context and the story, as well as the language we should use. It is important to us that the employee can relate to and understand what it is you are saying. Otherwise, why bother?

I don’t know if there is research out there to support this claim, but I believe miscommunication is one of the top 3 contributors to poor productivity in NZ.

Our documents are genuinely bespoke.

Throughout my career, I have come across letters prepared for the sole purpose of compliance. The document is not really personalised, and it comes across as mechanical and transactional. Like an IRD letter. I used to do that early in my career. Not knowing any different. Then I had to console a colleague in tears because their manager had given them a letter that was mechanical and lacked that human element.

They were crying over a letter that was trying to say thank you.

My colleague felt the manager did not care enough to take the extra 10 mins to personalise it and make it feel real.

Now here is how the numbers stack up for the accountants out there.

A plain templated letter we can whip up in 15-30mins and you would pay between $30-80 for our time.

The same letter done the Stapleton Consulting way, with heart and mind, may take 30mins to 1 hour and include a brief chat. Our approach may have fees ranging from $80 to $180. The silver lining you also get is:

  • the increased loyalty, trust, and productivity from the employee; and
  • you get to spend your time on the business stuff you love, and not the employee issues.

On balance those silver linings you get from us, taking that extra 15 – 30 mins, is an investment.

‘Lucozade cheaper than Powerade’ has reminded me why I purposefully stepped away from being all about compliance and HR / Recruitment transactional processes. Anyone can do that stuff.

There are numerous faceless companies out there that make lots of money from selling overpriced template libraries and 3+ year subscriptions. Clients who have transitioned, from this type of service to Stapleton Consulting, have said that type of ‘service’ in the end didn’t add value to their bottom line.

Why is that? It is because this kind of service leaves out the people and their uniqueness. An application tracking system (ATS) run by an algorithm may have missed this Facebook application altogether. We have an ATS and humans still review the applications.

Our team is focused on retaining your valuable employees, their uniqueness, and their knowledge. We use the employment journey, the NZ employment relations framework, and your vision as our guide to work to improve the relationships and experience you all have at work. Increasing trust, loyalty and productivity is not black and white, or transactional. But having trust, loyalty and good productivity adds huge value to your bottom line.

This ‘being an employer’ thing you do, along with everything else, we know is overwhelming at times. There can be some dark moments when you struggle to the see the forest for the trees. That’s ok. We are here with you, on your employment journey, along with your employees.